Lesley Smith

Lesley Smith (M. Univ, M. Phil, FSA (Scot), M.S.M.W) is an English scholar, historian, heritage publicist and actress. She is the curator of Tutbury Castle and is perhaps best known as the resident historian on the television show Most Haunted Live! (2006–10) and presenter of Most Haunted: Midsummer Murders. She has also been featured in a number of other television programmes.^[2]

Curator

Smith is the curator and lessee of Tutbury Castle, a position granted by the Duchy of Lancaster, for which she works as Public Relations Officer.^[3] Between 2000 (when she took up the position) and 2006, Smith presided over a 12-fold increase in visitor numbers. To reward her achievements, in 2006 the University of Derby awarded Smith an honorary master’s degree.^[4] At the conferment of the degree, she was described as "a remarkable social historian of the 16th century who is passionate about and committed to raising public understanding of the subject."^[3]

Dramatist

Smith is also well known for her dramatic interpretations of Queen Elizabeth I and Mary, Queen of Scots, for which she dons authentic replica costumes.^[5] She performs regular ghost hunt evenings, in character, at Tutbury.^[6] She also takes these reenactments, as well as those of Nell Gwyn and Anne Boleyn, to theatrical and charitable venues.^[7]

Smith also portrays other historical characters such as Nell Gwynn and Boadicea to much critical acclaim.

Scholar

Smith is a member of the Association of Medical Writers and is currently completing her PhD in "obstetrics and gynaecology in early modern Britain", working in conjunction with University of Birmingham and the British Museum.^[8][9] She has lectured there on her discoveries relating to 16th century contraception, such as the use of leather condoms, and citrus fruit as cervical caps.^[10] Smith is also a regular contributor to the Journal of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, and has delivered lectures to groups such as the Royal Institute of Chemists, Royal Society of Medicine and the Scottish Parliament at the Royal Society of Edinburgh.^[3]

Personal life

Prior to University, Lesley was entirely convent educated, and although described as, “causing quite a stir” by one of the teaching nuns, Lesley claims to have loved school.

When aged 35, she modelled for a realist statue of the Immaculate Conception created by sculptor Mark Delph^[11] in 1992. The 12 foot bronze statue can be now seen at the Church of the Immaculate Conception at Bicester, Oxfordshire.^[12]

Lesley has always had a love for the sea, particularly the Cornish coast and for many seasons would go out with her father shark fishing - she once brought in a record Garfish off the coast of Looe.

Lesley’s hobbies include: sketching, oil painting, theatre and, 16th century English literature.

She is married to world authority Viking specialist, Dr. Gareth Williams,^[13] and has one son, Henry, by her late husband, who was a notary public.

Television appearances

• The Final Days of Mary Queen of Scots (2015)
• The Hour (2011)
• The One Show (2011)
• In Bed With... (2008)
• Most Haunted: Midsummer Murders (2007)
• Most Haunted (2002, 2006–10)
• The Worst Jobs in History (2004)
• The World's Biggest Ghost Hunt (2003)
• Predictions with Derek Acorah (2001)

Smith has also participated in a number of radio interviews for the BBC as well as local radio in the Derby area. In 2013 she took part in two interviews for EGH Media and a number of live paranormal investigations on the internet.

Trivia

Her elder sister is Annette Day who starred with Elvis Presley in MGM's 1967 film Double Trouble.

A side from Yvette Fielding, Smith is the only other person to have hosted a series of Most Haunted. She hosted Most Haunted: Midsummer Murders along with Yvette in 2007.

References

External links

• Lesley Smith on IMDb
• Mary's dead: long live Lesley, Queen of Scots, Daily Telegraph, April 5, 2003
• Tutbury Castle
• Lesley Smith, official MySpace fansite
• official fansite